PIO question...

matt'sbride · January 2011

I haven't started them quite yet, but my HCG is tonight. It's the first intra-muscular shot I will do so far. I just wondered I there is ever a time when you get used to them? Do they ever become any less painful? What are some ways that you can lessen the pain? Thanks, as always!

madelyn07 · January 2011

Ok, I'll be honest. I really think they get worse as you go on. Not necessarily the pain of the shot but your whole butt starts to hurt after awhile so you are just adding to what is already there.

I always iced before the shot, laid on the bed (face down) and had DH do the shot, then massage the area for a bit and then went right to sitting on heat. It was never *too bad*. But this past week (I stopped them on Thursday) my butt has been really sore, kind of lumpy and itchy. And this morning, when I was working out, the up and down motion of some of the exercises caused pain.

But, like I said, it isn't awful, you can do it and you'll be just fine!

MrsMAF · January 2011

Get used to them? hmmm, I guess so, yes. Some days are better then others...some days when DH does the injection I barely feel it, other days, it smarts. Some days by the end of the day I can barely walk, other days it's just a mild soreness. I notice on the days that I keep a heating pad on the area for at least 15 min immediately following the shot, it doesn't hurt much at all that day. So my advice, heat immediately after for as long as you can...you'll see a big difference!

GL!!!

lisaiesha · January 2011

I was told to try and get PIO that is made with ethyl oleate instead of something like peanut oil. It is a lighter oil, so not as bad going in.

I ice before getting the shot, rub the area with a warm wash cloth directly afterwards, then apply a heating pad for a few minutes. Supposedly, the heat afterwards disperses the PIO so it doesn't hurt as bad later. Also, whoever is giving you the shot, tell them to push the plunger slowly.

MrsP71506 · January 2011

I think you will get used to them. Some days the shot is painful but other days I hardly even feel it. For me they just became a part of my daily routine.

I used a heating pad afterwards to help with the welts. Also icing beforehand and numbing the area can help with the pain and with welts as well.

good luck!

NicoleeBonsai · January 2011

i do them first thing in the morning. i ice the injection site for 10 minutes and warm the oil against my body during that time.

the first time it has ever hurt was today, but that is not DH's fault. the nurse the other day drew my circles in a bad spot (they seemed off from last time) and i think he hit a nerve or something. the nurse at my ET today saw them and said no, no, no, no, no, and re-drew them.

those are my tips - have the nurse draw circles at the injection sites and ice the site/warm the oil beforehand. promise it's not as bad as you think it will be

good luck!

Romeo&Denise · January 2011

Ok.... take this seriously (not that you wouldn't). LOL.

I started my PIO's 2 weeks ago, have pretty high pain tolerance. My DH administers my injection for me. I ignored the instructions to ice first, warm the PIO and then follow up with heat on the area after. The injection itself was fine. It was the day afterwards. Let's just say I hobbled around like Igor on the side that the injection was on. Fast forward to day 7 of PIOs and I was hobbling in pain on both sides.

After asking a fellow IVFer, she said you HAVE to do the warming method. I'm not a big ice on my skin type of person during the winter, so I apply heat to the area before while warming the PIO, then after injection, I run the site for about 20 seconds to distribute the meds, then I follow up with more heat for about 15 mins. It TRULY saved me! LOL

I'm being a bit dramatic in my response here, but really, the warmth does help with distributing the PIO evenly. I think the pain I felt before was due to the medicine staying in the same place over night.

GL!

Mandy_Lou83 · January 2011

The shot its self isn't bad at all. Like Madelyn said it is the build up of pain from doing them night after night. I've only been on PIO for 3 nights and my bum is already sore.

petite chouette · January 2011

Okay, I think I'm in the minority here... but PIO has been a piece of cake for me. In fact, I was offered the chance to switch over to crinone last week, and I declined -- because the shots have seriously become no big deal.

Just to prove I am not some weird "hard ass" with a high pain tolerance, I am also on Lovenox right now... and I. HATE. it. Painful.

Anyway, for PIO, I use ethyl oleate, and maybe that makes a difference (I know it is easier to push through the needle because it is "lighter"). I don't ice or heat, just rub the site pretty hard for a minute or two after, and that's it.

GL to you.

katerena · January 2011

Good luck! I always get the suppositories instead of the injections, but those are no picnic either!!

butterfly843 · January 2011

I have gotten used to them after doing them for 3 IVF cycles and one Fet cycle, I will be starting them up again soon for this Fet cycle I'm currently doing. Dh had gotten really good at giving them, I also ice the area beforehand, and afterwards I rub a warm washcloth in a circular pattern over the spot and that seems to help.

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